Black Manta
Black Manta is a male comic supervillain that features in DC Comics. Biography Origin Black Manta and Ocean Master in Aquaman v1 #35. Brightest Day Black Manta in Brightest Day v1 #19. At some unknown point, he had a child with a woman with their offspring being taken by the inhabitants of Xebel. They experimented on the child in the hopes of using him as a doorway to escape from their prison but was freed by Mera. She gave the child for adoption where he was unaware of his parentage and was raised as Jackson Hyde with Manta unware of his son's existence. (Brightest Day v1 #20) The New 52 Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. The man that became known as Black Manta was a diver who worked alongside his father who served as captain of their ship. (Aquaman v7 #10) At some point, he learnt of pirate captain from the 1700's named Madame Langrock who had a mystical black pearl that could control the oceans themselves causing humans and Atlanteans to turn on her. She was banished to Xebel along with the pearl with obscure legends speaking of her. Manta had discovered that location of Xebel and infiltrated the other-dimensional prison where he encountered an Atlantean named Lucia. She was fascinated by him as an outsider with the two engaging in an affair with Manta promising to take her to the outside world after he completed his mission. Lucia later traded the pearl with Black Manta becoming enraged at being denied the pearl with him seeking to kill her for her betrayal. Unknown to him, Lucia was pregnant with his child with her hiding on the surface world to keep her son away from the father. (Teen Titans v6 #10) He was hired by Doctor Shin who was looking for evidence on the existence of Atlantis after he discovered that Arthur Curry was a child of a human and Atlantean. To do so, he forcibly broke into Thomas Curry's Lighthouse only for him to accidently kill the man. He escaped as Arthur Curry arrived to see his father die before his eyes and he sought revenge against the man responsible. He journeyed and found the boat thinking he would confront the person he sought when he was attacked with Arthur lashing out at his attacker. This caused him to accidently kill the ship's captain causing Black Manta to swear revenge against Aquaman for killing his father. (Aquaman v7 #10) Overview Personality and attributes He claimed that his son Jackson Hyde and his mother had meant nothing to him. (Brightest Day v1 #20) Black Manta claimed that he was born to conquer and to gain ultimate power. (Aquaman v1 #35) Powers and abilities He had numerous armed soldiers that served him and were known as Manta-Men. (Aquaman v1 #35) For movement under the sea, he and his followers made use of the Manta-Ship that could survive the underwater depths. (Aquaman v1 #35) Notes * Black Manta was created by Bob Haney and Nick Cardy where he made his first appearance in Aquaman v1 #35 (September, 1967). * Brightest Day v1 #9 (2010), Siren referred to Black Manta as David but did not provide a last name. * Character profiles of the Legion of Doom shown in DC Nation v2 #1 (2018) referred to his real name as being David Hyde. Alternate Versions In other media Television * In The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure, Black Manta appeared as a villain in a number of episodes of the Aquaman segments where he was voiced by actor Ted Knight. * In Justice League Unlimited, a character by the name of Devil Ray who was voiced by actor Michael Beach. * In Young Justice, Black Manta appeared as a regular antagonist and was voiced by actor Khary Payton. He hated Aquaman and sought the destruction of the King of Atlantis. Black Manta was also secretly the father of Aqualad Kaldur'ahm though the boy was unaware of his parentage and instead he grew up as an Atlantean. Films * In Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, Black Manta appeared as a minor antagonist with a non-voiced role. He was shown as being part of Emperor Aquaman's forces and participated in the battle against Deathstroke's pirate crew. Black Manta arrived in time to save Garth from being killed and defeated Deathstroke. * In Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, Black Manta appeared as a supporting antagonist where he was voiced by actor Harry Lennix. Video games * In Aquaman: Battle for Atlantis, Black Manta appeared as an antagonist in the video game. * In Young Justice: Legacy, Black Manta appeared as a boss antagonist in the video-game tie-in to the animated television series where he was voiced by actor Khary Payton. * In Injustice: Gods Among Us, Black Manta was referenced in the video game where the One Earth Regime after encountering his normal Earth counterpart believed him to had been sent by Black Manta or Ocean Master. * In Injustice 2, Black Manta initially appeared in a cameo role as a stage transition in Atlantis and was mentioned in dialogue in the fighting video game. Appearances * Aquaman: * Brightest Day: * Aquaman: * Suicide Squad: * Teen Titans: Category:Comic characters Category:Supervillains Category:Villains Category:Males Category:Humans Category:Main Antagonists Category:Antagonists Category:DC characters